The US House of Representatives has passed a $1.15 trillion defence policy bill which would embed military support for Israel more deeply within Pentagon research, weapons procurement, technology sharing and the American defence-industrial base.
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the 2027 fiscal year passed yesterday by 216 votes to 212. Six Democrats joined 209 Republicans and one independent in supporting the legislation, while seven Republicans voted against it alongside 205 Democrats. Three representatives did not vote.
At the centre of the controversy is section 219, titled the “United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative”.
The provision requires the US secretary of defence to appoint an executive agent responsible for synchronising, expanding and accelerating military technology cooperation between the US and Israel.
The Pentagon official would identify jointly developed and Israeli-origin technologies for possible integration into established US weapons systems and acquisition programmes. The official would also help move technology from research and development into procurement and create frameworks for joint ventures, licensing agreements and US-based manufacturing partnerships involving Israeli arms companies.
The initiative covers counter-drone systems, subterranean warfare, missile and air defence, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, quantum technology, directed energy, cyber warfare, electronic warfare, biotechnology, network integration, data fusion, military logistics and defence manufacturing.
It would also establish joint training exercises and information-sharing mechanisms intended to prepare American and Israeli forces to deploy jointly developed military technology.
Critics have warned that the provision will shift US backing for Israel away from highly visible $3.3 billion annual aid packages, which lawmakers can debate, condition or cut, and into the less transparent machinery of Pentagon procurement, technology programmes, arms contracts and private defence-industry partnerships.
Support for Israel could become dispersed across supply chains, research programmes, production facilities, classified systems and jobs in individual congressional districts, making it more difficult for lawmakers or future administrations to identify and restrict.
READ: US Congress moves to fuse Israel’s war machine into American military system
The restructuring of US military support is seen as an attempt to protect the US-Israel military relationship from a collapse in public support for the apartheid state and growing congressional opposition to unconditional military aid.
Instead of repeatedly asking Congress to approve politically contentious grants to Israel, Washington could provide support through joint weapons development, co-production agreements, technology licensing, Pentagon acquisition programmes and contracts involving American and Israeli arms manufacturers.
The timing is especially significant. Just one week before the NDAA vote, 103 House Democrats supported an unsuccessful amendment seeking to end $3.3 billion in annual US military assistance to Israel.
Section 219 also resembles a proposal publicly backed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to replace direct US financial assistance with a broader framework of joint military development, co-production and investment.
In a letter released in June, Netanyahu described the transition as “my plan”. He supported drawing down direct American military assistance and replacing it with joint cooperation in missile defence, artificial intelligence, unmanned systems, cybersecurity and next-generation weapons platforms.
Final vote total for the NDAA today which tragically merges our military technology and supply chains with Israel’s. Let’s hope this version fails in the Senate because Section 219 is a betrayal of our sovereignty. pic.twitter.com/FtIukTzblR
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) July 22, 2026
Republican member of Congress Thomas Massie, who voted against the NDAA, said the legislation “tragically merges our military technology and supply chains with Israel’s”.
“Let’s hope this version fails in the Senate because section 219 is a betrayal of our sovereignty,” he added.
Massie and Democratic representative Ro Khanna had proposed an amendment deleting section 219, but the House Rules Committee blocked it from receiving a debate or vote on the House floor.
Former National Counterterrorism Center director Joe Kent urged Americans to contact their senators and demand the removal of the provision.
Unfortunately, the House just voted to merge the most secretive & sensitive elements of our defense & intelligence apparatus with a foreign government.
This bill still has to clear the Senate.
Call your senators & representatives and tell them to not support the NDAA until the… https://t.co/32IS8zX8hx
— Joe Kent (@joekent16jan19) July 22, 2026
“We will never support merging our military with a foreign nation,” Kent wrote, calling on senators to oppose the NDAA while section 219 remains in the legislation.
Former Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene described the House vote as a “total betrayal”.
Total betrayal.
The House of Representatives passed the NDAA 216-212.
7 Republicans voted NO.
6 Democrats voted YES.
This $1.1 trillion dollar military budget contains Sec 219 that ties our military intelligence and military industrial base to Israel.
Now it goes to the Senate. pic.twitter.com/kmFPOlJpBQ— Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@FmrRepMTG) July 22, 2026
